Drug shortages: Ten measures to tackle the problem

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Common belief is that this is a global problem which affects our country to a lesser extent, mainly due to the presence of industrial units in Greece

The update of the measures that have already been taken and related to the limitation of parallel exports and the increase of the adequacy of medicines in the country was decided by the Minister of Health Thanos Pleuris.

Yesterday, Monday, a wide-ranging meeting was held under the minister, with the participation of representatives of EOF, IFET, PEF, SFEE, PFS as well as a representative of the Panhellenic Association of Pharmacies, regarding the shortages presented in specific medicines.

The common belief of all is that this is a global problem which affects our country to a lesser extent mainly due to the presence of industrial units in Greece.

The update of the measures is as follows:

1) Continuation of inspections of pharmacies for the non-export of elliptical medicines, with the only penalty being the suspension of operations in those pharmacies that do not cooperate or keep a reserve.

2) Continuation of the audit of pharmaceutical companies to establish that they have the sufficiency of drugs to cover the Greek market, especially antipyretic and pediatric drugs.

3) Increase in orders from IFET for the active substances for which there is a global shortage.

4) Information from the EOF about the medicines missing from the market, while at the same time it will be announced where there is a substitution of medicines. In this way, citizens will know that instead of a specific branded drug, which generic, with corresponding effectiveness, can be obtained.

5) Expanding the prescription of generic drugs where there are shortages.

6) Rationalization of prices for medicines which are elliptical and of very low cost value.

7) Existence of continuous cooperation with pharmacists so that the citizen can be served better, when shortages arise.

8) Increasing the electronic prescription of elliptical medicines.

9) Informing doctors about drug shortages, so that the prescription can be adjusted to corresponding therapeutic values.

10) In addition, it was decided that the Greek pharmaceutical industry will exhaust the possibilities of increasing the production of generics and the multinational companies will intensify the import of elliptical drugs.

The Minister of Health made it clear that there will be meetings with the medical associations in the near future for information and coordination on the matter.

In an announcement by the Ministry of Health, it is emphasized that our country has taken all the necessary measures so that the global problem of the lack of specific active substances can be dealt with in the best possible way.

RES-EMP

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